1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of yeast products and, more particularly, to methods of modifying the flavor of yeast products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dried yeast products have innumerable uses as functional and nutritional food ingredients. One such product is a dried Candida utilis yeast which is grown on a food grade ethanol substrate under oxygen-limiting growth conditions. The fermentor contents are continuously withdrawn and centrifuged to produce an aqueous yeast cell slurry containing about 10-20 weight percent yeast cells. The slurry is then spray dried to yield a powdery product which can be used in numerous food applications. This product generally has a strong yeasty flavor and an aroma that can be affected by growth conditions and after-harvest processing. It is very difficult, from a quality control standpoint, to continuously produce such a dried yeast product which has consistent flavor and color. Some products have a strong yeasty flavor while others have a more mild flavor, even though both products are produced in the same manner. It is desirable to eliminate or reduce the yeasty flavor of the dried product in favor of a consistently more bland tasting product. This is particularly necessary where higher levels of the yeast product are to be used as a food ingredient.
It has now been discovered that a consistantly more bland tasting product having a sweet, mushroom- and almond-type background flavor and a cocoa-like aroma can be produced by a simple post-harvest processing step.